Dear Friends,

At thread, we believe that quality child care creates futures—for children, for families, for early educators, and for communities across Alaska. Over the past two fiscal years, your partnership has helped us turn this belief into action, advancing a stronger, more sustainable early care and education system statewide.

From stabilization to sustainability: Investing in futures
FY24 represented the culmination of an extraordinary period of response and recovery. Through more than $26.7 million in direct financial support, we stabilized child care programs, strengthened the early childhood workforce, and ensured families could continue to access care during a time of uncertainty. These investments—including grants, professional development funding, and stipends such as the ROOTS Awards—helped secure the foundation that children and families depend on.

In FY25, we built on that foundation and shifted toward long-term sustainability. By investing more than $4.8 million directly into early childhood programs and professionals, we continued to strengthen the systems that support quality care. These efforts reflect a clear truth: when we invest in child care, we invest in futures—supporting children’s development, enabling families to work, and strengthening Alaska’s economy.

Strengthening systems to support quality
To ensure that quality child care can thrive, we must have strong, efficient systems behind it. Over these two years, thread completed a historic transition to a unified statewide organization—streamlining operations, improving access, and increasing our ability to respond to the diverse needs of Alaska’s communities.

We also invested in technology and infrastructure, including expanding our Salesforce platform and Service Portal to better serve families and early childhood educators. Internally, we strengthened financial management, human resources, and operational systems—all to ensure that thread is positioned for long-term impact. These improvements allow us to more effectively deliver on our mission and support quality child care at every level.

Advancing quality through workforce and program support
Quality child care begins with a supported and skilled workforce. Across FY24 and FY25, thread expanded early educator professional training opportunities, launched new credentials, and increased access to consultation and quality improvement resources.

Early educators reported stronger classroom environments, more confidence in their practice, and meaningful connections with peers. Programs engaged in Learn & Grow, achieved accreditation milestones, and implemented new strategies that support children’s social, emotional, and developmental needs. These outcomes demonstrate that when we support educators, we create better experiences and brighter futures for the children in their care.

Elevating child care as essential infrastructure
Quality child care creates futures not only for individual families, but for entire communities and economies. Together with partners and advocates, we worked to elevate child care as essential infrastructure for Alaska.

Across these two years, we engaged hundreds of advocates, conducted extensive outreach with policymakers, and helped secure significant public investments. In FY25, this included a rally on the steps of the Capitol in Juneau to ask legislators to restore funding for child care in the operating budget.

Strengthening partnerships that make futures possible
This work is only possible through strong partnerships. From state and local agencies to tribal organizations, businesses, and community leaders, collaboration continues to drive progress.

Together, we connected with thousands of families, supported hundreds of early educators, and engaged communities across Alaska. Whether through referrals, training, advocacy, or grants, these partnerships ensure that quality child care remains accessible, responsive, and impactful, helping to create opportunities and futures in every corner of our state.

Looking ahead
As we look to the future, our path is clear. We will continue to build a child care system that is accessible, affordable, and high-quality—because we know that quality child care creates futures that last a lifetime.

Thank you for your continued partnership, trust, and commitment to this work. Together, we are shaping a stronger future for Alaska—one child, one family, and one community at a time.

With gratitude,

Stephanie Berglund
thread CEO

Highlights

• During FY24 thread provided $110,939 in professional development dollars to early childhood professionals for educational expense reimbursements and an additional $18,835,896 in grants distributed to the field, including support to programs for COVID-19 stabilization efforts and other quality improvements grants. 
• Additionally, thread provided financial support to early childhood professionals with ROOTS Awards and other stipends totaling $7,848,340 during FY24.  
• In FY24 thread provided educational materials and supplies direct to programs valued at $133,059, and thread contributed $60,675 in early childhood and school-age community conference sponsorships.
• During FY25 thread provided $119,100 in professional development dollars to early childhood professionals for educational expense reimbursements and an additional $4,337,894 in grants distributed to the field, including support for program stabilization efforts and other quality improvements grants.
• Additionally, thread provided support to the early childhood professionals in stipends totaling $349,456 during FY25.
• In FY25 thread also provided educational materials and supplies direct to programs valued at $255,384; thread contributed $68,500 in early childhood and school-age community conference sponsorships.

On behalf of the thousands of Alaska children in child care today, thank you for your support.

Together we are working toward the vision that all early care and learning is accessible, affordable, and high-quality to support positive outcomes for children and families.

thread appreciates the community of partners, organizations and individuals who helped build capacity for child care this year by supporting thread’s work. Thank you!

Our supporters in FY24-25 include:

Alaska Chamber of Commerce
Alaska Community Foundation
Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Alaska Department of Health
Anchorage Association for the Education of Young Children
Anchorage Sand & Gravel
Barney and Rachel Gottstein Charitable Foundation of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund
ConocoPhillips Alaska
Credit Union 1
First National Bank Alaska
Gottstein Family Foundation
Halcyon Consulting
The Kroger Co Foundation
Little Red School House
Mat-Su Health Foundation
Municipality of Anchorage
Pendleton Fine Arts
PerkinsCoie LLC
Rasmuson Foundation
The Kroger Co Foundation
U.S. Community Federation
United Way of Anchorage
United Way of Valdez
Valley Hospital Association
And many more donors!

FY25 Operating Expenses